The present invention relates to a numeral lock for a door, and the like, and particularly to a numeral lock mechanism, which has pin number capable of being changed according to a user""s demand.
One of the purposes to use a numeral lock is to lock and unlock the door lock without having to use a key, eliminating the risk of losing the key after locking the lock.
One kind of popular numeral lock has several push buttons, each of which has a corresponding numeral. When the correct ones of the push buttons are depressed by the user, i.e. the corresponding numerals of the depressed push buttons are the same as the preset pin number, the door lock can be unlocked.
Furthermore, one main purpose of devising a numeral lock with resettable feature is to prevent a thief to become aware of the pin number by means of observing the push buttons to tell the correct ones from other irrelevant to the pin number; because the correct push buttons are constantly depressed by a user""s finger, and thus have more polished surface than the irrelevant ones. Therefore, it is very important to develop a kind of numeral lock with resettable feature to overcome the above said disadvantages and to provide homes and offices with more security.
Referring to FIG. 10, a numeral lock with resettable feature is devised by the inventor of the present invention prior to the present invention; the prior art numeral lock comprises a housing 10, a plurality of locking pins 20, a confining plate 30, an engaging plate 40, a locating plate 50, and a bottom plate 60 as the main parts; the housing 10 has holes each receiving a push button connected to a respective one of the locking pins 20 for the locking pins 20 to be capable of being depressed by a user""s fingers; each of the locking pins 20 has a first engaging protrusion 201 and a second engaging protrusion 202 arranged in opposite direction; the engaging plate 40 has locking holes 401 receiving the first engaging protrusions 201 of the locking pins 20; each locking hole 401 has an engaging portion 402 as shown in FIG. 11. The confining plate 30 is fixed to the housing 10 and has holes for receiving the second engaging protrusions 202 of the locking pins 20. The locating plate 50 and the engaging plate 40 are movably received within the housing 10. Both the locating plate 50 and the bottom plate 60 have holes for other ends of the locking pins 20 to be passed through, and into, respectively. When the first engaging protrusions 201xe2x80x2 of the locking pins 20xe2x80x2 face inwardly of the housing 10, they will engage the engaging portions 402 of the locking holes 401 of the engaging plate 40 and thus stop the engaging plate 40 from moving. Locking pins 20xe2x80x2 of such inward facing first engaging protrusions 201xe2x80x2 have to be depressed in order to separate such protrusions 201xe2x80x2 from the locking holes 401 for the corresponding second protrusions 202xe2x80x2 to be moved into the locking holes 401; such second protrusions 202xe2x80x2, facing outward, will not stop the engaging plate 40 from moving.
When the engaging plate 40 is not stopped from moving by any of the engaging protrusions 201,202, i.e. the correct locking pins 20 are depressed, a handle associated with the engaging plate is capable of being turned to open the door.
A user can turn the locking pins 20 to change the direction of the protrusions 201 according to his predetermined pin number from top turning slots (not numbered)of the locking pins 20 with a screwdriver.
The above mentioned numeral lock is fixed to a door with bottom plate 60 contacting the door so the numeral lock has to be first removed from the door for permitting the locking pins 20 to be turned through the holes of the bottom plate 60, making the resettable process very inconvenient.
So, it is a main object of the present invention to devise a numeral lock that can be reset more easily and conveniently, not having to remove the entire lock from the door.
A numeral lock with resettable feature of the present invention has lock pins each associated with a respective press button, the press buttons being arranged on a housing for a user to press to unlock the numeral lock. The locking pins each has a first and a second engaging protrusion opposing each other; the first engaging protrusions are received with locking holes of an engaging plate, and will engage the locking holes to stop engaging plate from moving when facing inwardly of the housing. Locking pins having such inwardly facing engaging protrusions have to be depressed for such protrusions to separate from the locking holes in order to unlock the lock.
The locking pins are associated with the press buttons such that they can turn along with the press buttons for permitting a user to reset the numeral lock with a new pin number. The corresponding numerals of those locking pins having inwardly facing first engaging protrusions constitute the pin number.
Furthermore, to simplify the resetting procedure of the numeral lock, a sliding plate is provided; the sliding plate has shaped holes each connected to a respective one of the locking pins. The shaped holes each has a round hole portion and a rectangular hole portion; when the sliding plate is moved such that the round hole portions thereof connect the locking pins, the locking pins are capable of turning for permitting a user to rest the numeral lock; on the other hand, when the rectangular hole portions connect the locking pins, the lockings are incapable of turning, preventing the locking pins from being unwarily turned. The sliding plate is further protected from being unwarily moved by a box shape cover capable of being locked up by another lock device.
Thus, it can be understood that the numeral lock of the present invention can be reset very easily.